Workman&#39;s time-recorder.



F. G. LAKE WORKMANS TIME RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED A1 3.1e.19o9.

927,805. Patented July 13,1909.

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P. G. LAKE.

WORKMANS TIME RECORDER. APPLICATION FILED APR.16.1909.

Patented July 13. 1909.

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APPLICATION IILBD APB. 16.1909.

.-' 927 05 Patented July 13, 1909.

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P. G.. LAKE. WOBKMANS TIME BEGORDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR 16. 1909.

I 927,805. Patented July 13, 1909.

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Patented July 13, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK GEORGE LAKE, OF PRESTBURY, ENGLAND WORKMANS TIME-RECORDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FnEnERroK GEORGE LAKE, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Prestbury, Ch eshire, England, have invented a new or Improved Construction of lVorkmens Time- Recorders or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to and consists of a new or improved construction of apparatus for recording or registering the time when workmen start and leave off work, or for registering the time of their arrival and departure.

The apparatus is of that type which depends for its action on being operated by each workman.

The object of the invention is to provide a' construction of time register which is less expensive to make, more simple in construction, and lies in smaller compass than the ordinary known makes of registers.

Upon the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 illustrates a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a right hand side elevation of a workmans time register constructed according to this invention, the outer casing not being shown in order that the main working parts shall be more clearly discernible. Fig. 3 illustrates a vertical transverse section through Fig. 41 of the register, certain of the parts being shown in other than in their normal positions (as hereinafter explained) in order to more clearly demonstrate the action of the register. Fig. 4 illustrates a rear elevation of the register as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 illustrates a side elevation of a detail part seen from the left hand side of the register. Fig. 6 illustrates a face view, and Fig. 7 a vertical sec tion of certain key-retaining and releasing mechanism hereinafter described. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate face, edge and plan views respectively of a type-carrying quadrant used in the register. 'Figs. 1.1, 12 and 13 illustrate side and end elevations and a plan respectively of certain printing and feed take-up devices. Figs. 14, 15 and 16 illustrate side, edge and plan views respectively of type-carrying levers hereinafter referred to. Fig. 17 illustrates a portion of a strip of paper after passing through the register and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 16, 1909.

preference, from the top downward.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Serial N0. 490,292.

being marked with the necessary data for indicating the time of arrival and departure of a number of workmen.

According to the invention, the improved register consists primarily of What may be termed a key-board 1 forming the front of face of the apparatus. In the said keyboard are two rows of holes arranged. vertically and parallel to each other, and through such holes loosely projects a series of studs or spindles 2, 2. Applied to the front end of each spindle is a disk or head 3 bearing a numeral, the several spindles and their heads being hereinafter referred to as keys. In a register designed for registering up to 99 persons, there are nine keys, (1 to 9) in one row, and 10 keys (0 to 9) in the other row, the tWo rows representing respectively tens and units, see Fig. 1.

The numerals on both sets of keys run, by Each hole in the key-board is fitted with a tubular liner 4 and the length of such liner determines the movements of the key. Or such movements are limited by the length of the spindle itself. Upon a fulcrum or axis 5 arranged below the said key-board are two segmental wheels or quadrants 6 6 hereinafter called the numeral quadrants, one of which lies immediately behind the inner ends of one row of keys, while the other of which lies immediately behind the inner ends of the other row of keys. Upon the periphery of the quadrant 6 are nine type characters (1 to 9) while upon the periphery of the quadrant 6 are ten type characters (0 to 9) the numerals starting, by preference, from that end of each quadrant farthest from the key board, see Fig. 4.

Alongside the quadrants is a wheel 7 mounted upon a rotating spindle 8, and upon the periphery of such wheel, hereinafter termed the minute wheel, are type characters. Such minute wheel is mounted fast on the spindle, and. its periphery lies at one point on a level. with the-peripheries of the .numeral quadrants and a given printing line. The said spindle S is rotated by a spring motor 9, the action of which-is controlled by an escapement electrically actuated once a minute from say the clock by which the workmens time of arrival and departure is usually calculated. Alongside the minute wheel and loosely mounted on the same spindle, is a further wheel 10 hereinafter termed the hour wheel. Such hour wheel on its periphery carries type characters, one to twelve, and its periphery, like that of the minute wheel, at one point lies level with the peripheries of the numeral quadrants and in a given printing'line. Also upon the said spindle 8 is a pinion 11, see Fig. 5 having only a part of its periphery provided with spur teeth. Normally meshing with. such teeth. are the teeth of a further quadrant 12 pivotally mounted alongside the hour wheel. Carried by such further quadrant, hereinafter called the hour wheel quadrant, is a knuckle-jointed. pawl 13. Upon the hour wheel 10 are twelve teeth 14 with which the said pawl 13 is designed to engage intermittently and thereby rotate the wheel 10, a twelfth of a revolution at each impulse. The impulses are obtained by the weight of the quadrant itself which after the pinion 11 has moved the hour-wheel quadrant 12 the necessary distance for enabling the pawl 13 to engage one of the ratchet teeth 14, returns the quadrant (by permission of the plain part of the pinion) back to the starting point, thereby operating the hour wheel. This movement takes place once every hour at the sixtieth minute and brings one of the type characters on the periphery of the hour wheel into a given position. Any reverse movement of the hour wheel is prevented by a retaining pawl 15 held in play with one of the teeth 14 by a spring 15. A spring spur 15 on the quadrant helps to determine the correct movements of the hour wheel.

Pivotally mounted upon the axis 5 which carries the numeral quadrants, are two bellcrank levers 16 16*, one arm of each of which-extends to a point on. a level with the peripheries of the numeral quadrants, while the other arm extends horizontally to a point in front of the key-board, and there carries a plunger or key 17. Upon that end of one of such levers near the quadrants are type characters suitable for printing the word In and on the same end of the other lever are type characters suitable for printing the word Out. Upon the respective keys 17 of such levers the same words are printed. The keys will preferably be in the form of spindles with disk heads and the spindles will pass loosely through the lever ends, which are forked or slotted, and through a horizontal extension 1 of the key-board.

Adjacent to the peripheries of the quadrants and wheels is an arrangement of print ing mechanism by which, when it is operated, an impression of the type on the quadrants, levers and wheels may be taken on a strip of paper. In one arrangement such mechanism may consist of a roller 18 rotatably mounted in brackets 19 above the numeral quadrants and wheels. Between such roller and the type faces will pass a strip of paper, the roller having pins and (or) being roughed (milled), and also having flanges by which the paper may be advanced and guided as the roller rotates. The paper will be drawn from a reel 20 and led between a roller 18 and the roller 18 before passing over the type, and after leaving the type is ,delivered by preference, loosely into a receiver, or, if desired, on to another reel. Also passing between the roller and type faces is an inked ribbon, or a transfer copying strip or the like. In the case of a ribbon it will preferably be endless (see Fig. 4) and be arranged transversely of the peripheries of the quadrants. To the rear of the said paper-carrying roller 18 is a lever or presserprinting arm or bar 21, which is suitably arranged to press the paper against the ribbon and type, see Fig. 3. This printing bar is left free and operated by means of a springreturned rod 22 slidably mounted in bearings 23, a plate 24 connected to the rod and acted. upon by the keys 17, and a bracket 25 adjustably mounted on the rod 22. Carried by this bracket is a spring blade 26 which presses upon the printing bar 21 and normally tends to force it against the type faces of the quadrants. Upon one of the brackets 19 by which the printing bar 21 is pivotally carried is a short pendent lever arm 27 in which is a notch or recess 28. U on the printing bar is a pin 29 which, with t e parts in their normal position, engages the recess 28 in the lever arm 27. Upon the bracket 25 is a small bent wire extension 30 which extends below the printing bar, and when the bracket 25 is in its highest position, holds the printing bar 21 elevated and clear of the quadrants. Upon the bracket 25 is also a small spur or wire finger 31, which lies immediately above and in the plane of the lever arm 27 l/Vhen the bracket 25 is lowered to operate the printing bar, the movement of the printing bar is arrested by the pin 29 until the finger 31 meets and presses against the lever arm 27, which, being then forced back, releases the pin 29 and allows the printing bar, under the impulse of the spring 26 to sharply strike the paper and produce the desired impression, the wire extension 30 extending down below and beyond the type faces at the moment the impression is taken. Upon the bracket 25 rising again, the wire extension 30 meets and raises the printing bar and carries the pin 29 back into the recess of the lever arm 27 in which it remains until the next printing operation.

In order that in descending they shall be free to operate both the type levers 16 16 and the printing bar 21, the keys 17 act upon the levers through springs 32.

Upon one end of the axis of the paper guide roller 18 is a wheel 33 with ratchet or like teeth and upon the bracket 25 is a pawl 34 so shaped and placed that, when the printing bar is operated (moved toward the type), it (the pawl) slips over a tooth of the wheel, and, on the printing bar making its return movement, the pawl rotates the wheel one tooth and thus advances the paper. A spring influenced pawl 35 serves to prevent the wheel rotating backward.

The use of the improved register may be briefly described as follows :The workman on arrival presses in the key or keys representing his number, thereby pushing the numeral quadrant or quadrants 6? 6 backward and causing the type character on each, corspending to the numbers on the keys pressed in, to come below the printing bar, means of a known type such as a small notch 36 in eachkey spindles (see Fig. 6) and springpressed latching levers 37, see Figs. 6 and 7, preventing the keys and quadrants returm ing. The workman then depresses the plunger key 17 bearing the word In, the early movement of which brings the type lever 16 below the printing bar and in line with the numerals on the numeral quadrants to be printed. The further or continued downward movement of the In plunger key 17 then sharply operates the printing bar, which causes the paper to be printed with the workmans number, with the word In and also owing to the type on the hour,and minute wheels also coming below the printing bar with the time of his arrival. Upon being released the In plunger key under the influence of spring 32 and the weight of the lever 16 rises up and resumes its normal position, the printing bar 21 at l spending to his number.

the same time, under the influence of the spring 22 also returning to its original position. To release the key-board keys and thus allow the numeral quadrants to return to their normal positions, use is made of a slide bar 38 mounted in guides 39 and carrying lateral projections 40, see Fig. 6, one for and lying immediately adjacent to each latching lever 37. To operate the slide bar 38, use is made of the rod 22 and a lever 42, the slide bar being held normally elevated by a spring 43, see Fig. 3, and the lateral projections 40 lying above the free ends of the latching levers. The quadrants will move back under the influence of springs 41.

I/Vhen the workman leaves off work, say at breakfast, dinner or tea time, he again first presses in the key-board key or keys corre- He then depresses the plunger key 17 bearing the word Out thereby bringing the type lever 16 into use, and then by the further depression of the plunger key, causing the printing bar to print his number, time of departure, and the word Out upon the strip of paper. The return of the plunger keys, lever and quad rants is effected in precisely the same manner as in the caseof the previously described operations.

In Fig. 3 the parts are shown in the posi tion they occupy when the key 5 of the left hand column and the key of the right hand column have been pushed in, and also when the Out key 17 has been depressed and the printing arm has just struck the paper. Key 5 of the right hand column is shown removed in order not to confuse the illustration of key 5 of the left hand column.

A portion of the strip of paper printed with the times of arrival and departure, the words In and Out and the workmen numbers is shown in Fig. 17.

The minute wheel 7 is preferably controlled electrically from the nearest available clock through a suitable escapement, the electric circuit being completed at each minute, and the wheel 7 therefore only mov ing at each minute.

The forward movements of the levers 16 16 are limited by suitable stops. The inked ribbon passes between a rubber-faced wheel 44 and milled spindle 45, this latter being carried by a fixed tubular bracket 46, and the former being carried by a pivoted axis 47 which is yieldingly forced toward the bracket 46 by a spring arranged within a slotted guide 48. Upon the spindle 45 is a ratchet wheel 49 and upon the rod 22 is a springpressed pawl 50 which presses against the teeth of the wheel 49, see Fig. 4. Also engaging the teeth of such wheel is a spring retaining pawl 51. With each upward movement of the rod 22 after each printing operation, the wheel 49 is advanced a small portion of a revolution, thereby advancing the ribbon and causing it to present a fresh surface to the type at each printing operation.

The paper reel 20 is preferably carried between cones, at the ends of the spring eXtensions 19 of the brackets 19, the cones offering a slight drag and the arms allowing of thel ready insertion and withdrawal of the ree To afford stiffness the quadrants 6*, 6 ilpay be formed with alateral web 6 see The printing bar has a wire guide 52 for the paper to pass through after being printed.

What I claim is 1. A workmans time recorder comprising, in combination, a vertical and perforated key-board, a fulcrum and supporting means therefor behind the keyboard, quadrants mounted upon such fulcrum and adapted to lie with one edge normally parallel with the rear face of the keyboard, numeral ty e characters on the curved eripheries oft e quadrants, two independent levers also mounted on the said fulcrum behind the said keyboard and alongside the quadrants, and I one of such levers bearing the type characters of the Word 7 In and the other of such levers bearing the type characters of the word Out and both the said levers holding'the said type characters on a level with thety e characters on the quadrants and normally to one side of a printingline, two wheels and an axis therefor behind the keyboard and alongside the levers, type characters of the hour of the day on one wheel and ty e characters of the minutes of the hour on the other wheel, means for rotating such wheels at a rate proportionate to the time of the day, a series of plunger keys slidably fitting the per forations in the keyboard and each having a disk at one end bearing a numeral and at the other end lying directly in front of one of the quadrants, means for normally holding the quadrants against the plunger ends,

means for returning the plunger keys after lie with-one edge-normally parallel with the rear'face of thekeyboard, numeral type chare being pressed against the quadrants, means whereby on the plungers being pushed one by one against the quadrants these latter are moved on their fulcrum to various disr on thetsaid fulcrum behind the saidkeyboard and alongside the quadrants, and oneof such tances, spring actuated retaining pawls-- one for each plunger in which is a notch and supporting means for the pawls, a printing bar, means for supporting such bar'- elastically above the quadrants levers and wheels, an inked ribbon passing between such barand the quadrants, levers and wheels, means for rocking each of the said type-carrying. levers about its fulcrum, and further means operated by the said lever-actuating mechanism for simultaneously depressing the printing bar, means for retaining the bar momentarily when being depressed and sud denly releasing the same, and further means whereby, on either of the said type-carrying levers being operated to move the printing bar and after the bar has moved to strike the type, the retaining pawls of the plunger keys are simultaneously moved and caused to free the plunger keys, substantially as herein set forth.

2. A workmans time recorder comprising,- in combination, a vertical and perforated keyboard, a fulcrum and supporting means therefor behind the keyboard, quadrants mounted upon such fulcrum and adapted to lie with one edge normally parallel with the rear face of the keyboard, numeral type characters on the curved peripheries of the quadrants, a series of plunger keys slidably fitting the perforations in the keyboard and each having a disk at one end bearing a numeral and both t and at theotherf end lying directly iafront of one'of the quadrants, means for'normally holding the quadrantsnagainst the plunger ends, means forreturning the plunger keys after being pressed against-the quadrants, means whereby, on the plunger keys'being pushed one by one against" the quadrants, these latterare moved on their fulcrum to various distances, spring actua'ted retaining pawls, one for eachplunger in which is a notch, and supporting means forthe pawls, a printing bar, means for-supportingsuch bar elastically above the quadrants an inked ribbon passing'between' such bar and the quadrants, means for depressing the printing bar, means for 'retainingthe bar momentarily whenbeing depressed and suddenly; releasing the same, and further means whereby after the bar has moved to strikethetyp:e, the"retaining awls of the plunger keysare simultaneous ymoved andcaus'ed to free the plune gerkeys, substantially as: herein setforth; 3. A workmanstime recorder comprising, in combinationya vertical and-perforated keyboard, a fulcrum and 'supportlng'means acters-on the curved periph-eri'esofthe quadrants, two independentlelvers also mounted levers bearing the type characters of the l word In" and the other ofsu'ch levers bearing the ty echaracters of the vword Out lie said levers-holding thesaid type characterson a level with the type characters on the quadrants, and normally to oneside of a printing line, a series of plunger keys slidably fitting the perforations in the keyboard and-each having a disk at one :end bearinga numeral and at the other end lyingdirectly in front of one of the quadrants, means'for'normally holding the quadrants againstthe plunger ends, means returning the plunger keys after being pressed against the quadrant-s, means whereby on the plun gers' being pushed one "by one against the quadrants these latter are moved on their fulcrum to various distances, springactw" ated retaining pawls, one for each plunger in which is a-notch,-and supporting means for r the pawls, means for rocking each of the said 1 type-carrying levers about its fulcrum and further means operated by the said lever-actuating mechanism'whereby the said :retaining pawls of the plunger keys are moved and mused to free the plunger keys when such. keys are retained by the pawls-substantially as 'hereinset forth.

4. A workm-ans tImGIBQOIdGI compr sing, in COIIlblHZLtlOIT, a V'BIlilCitl' and perforated keyboard, a fulcrum and supporting means therefor behind the keyboard and levers mounted on said fulcrum, one end of each of which extends upward and carries type characters and the other end of each of which extends horizontally, and means for actuating such levers independently of each other whereby they are normally held out of a given printing line and whereby they may be moved into such printing line, substantially as herein set forth.

5. A workmans time recorder comprising,

in combination, a vertical keyboard, a print ing bar, means for supporting such bar elastically, means for depressing the printing bar, means for retaining the bar momentarily when being depressed and suddenly releasing 1 the same, substantially as herein set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK GEORGE LAKE. Nitnesses F. C. PENNINGTON, P. D. BAILEY. 

